Polk County Judge Robert Hanson, the first Iowa judge to rule in favor of legal same-sex marriage, performed the ceremony Wednesday.

"When we got off the plane today, we heard the news. It came across our phones, and then all of a sudden, I looked at Bruce and said, 'Well, do you want to get married today?' He said, 'Yeah,'" said Todd Ruopp.

"They said, 'Mom, are you going to stand up with us? We are going to get married.' And I said, 'I thought we came down here for lunch,'" said the groom's mother, Beverley Ruopp.

Todd Ruopp and Bruce Hunter tied the knot inside Hanson's Polk County courtroom. Ruopp and Hunter have been dating two years, engaged two weeks and decided Wednesday was the perfect day to make it legal.

"For us, it's just having the security to know that if something should happen to one of us, the other person will be taken care of. It might be Social Security benefits, it might be just to know there will never be a point at which someone can say he can't see me in the hospital or not able to direct my health care," said Ruopp.

Unlike most married couples, Ruopp and Hunter will have to carry documents to prove their marriage is legal. But they're more than fine with it, acknowledging equality takes time. The two said they're happy people like Hanson are making it possible.

"I knew it was the right decision to make all along, and I have never regretted it one bit, haven’t lost a second of sleep about it," said Hanson.

Hanson said Wednesday's rulings gave him the confirmation that he was right.

One couple visiting here from Florida heard the historic news and planned a wedding in a matter of hours. Emily Price shows us the ceremony full of symbolism. Symbolic because the Polk County judge who performed their ceremony was Judge Robert Hanson. The first Iowa judge to rule in favor of legal, same sex marriage. WHEN WE GOT OFF THE PLANE TODAY WE HEARD THE NEWS - IT CAME ACROSS OUR PHONES - AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN I LOOKED AT BRUCE AND SAID WELL DO YOU WANT TO GET MARRIED TODAY? HE SAID YEAH. And in a matter of hours, THEY SAID MOM YOU ARE GOING TO STAND UP WITH US - WE ARE GOING TO GET MARRIED! AND I SAID, I THOUGHT WE CAME DOWN HERE FOR LUNCH! They were here - inside Judge Robert Hanson's Polk County courtroom. TODD AND BRUCE YOU COME BEFORE ME IN FRONT OF THESE WITNESSES - TO BE JOINED TOGETHER LAWFULLY IN THE ESTATE OF MATRIMONY. With those words, Hanson adds to the long list of same sex marriages he's performed. A COUPLE HUNDRED PROBABLY AT LEAST. For him Todd Ruop and Bruce Hunter aren't a number...they're the real, smiling faces of same sex marriage history. TODD WILL YOU TAKE THIS MAN FOR YOUR LAWFUL WEDDED SPOUSE? Ruop and Hunter have been dating two years, engaged two weeks and decided today was the perfect day to make it legal. BY THE AUTHORITY INVESTED IN ME A DISTRICT JUDGE IN POLK COUNTY - I NOW PROUNOUNCE THEM MARRIED. FOR US IT'S JUST HAVING THE SECURITY TO KNOW THAT THERE IF SOMETHING SHOULD HAPPEN TO ONE OF US - THE OTHER PERSON WILL BE TAKEN CARE OF, IT MIGHT BE SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS IT MIGHT BE. JUST TO KNOW THERE WILL NEVER BE A POINT AT WHICH SOMEONE CAN SAY HE CAN'T SEE ME IN THE HOSPITAL, OR NOT ABLE TO DIRECT MY HEALTH CARE. Unlike most married couples, they'll have to carry these documents to prove their marriage is legal. But they're more than fine with that...acknowled ging equality takes time... but people like Judge Hanson are making it possible. I KNEW IT WAS THE RIGHT DECISION TO MAKE ALL THE WAY ALONG AND I HAVE NEVER REGRETTED IT ONE BIT - HAVEN'T LOST A SECOND OF SLEEP ABOUT IT. Judge Hanson says today's rulings give him confirmation that he was right. Stacey? Thanks, Emily.